CHANGE MOTOR OIL: RECOMMENDATIONS
Many car owners listen to the recommendations provided by the manufacturing plant. But it is important to take into account the speed of movement and the time worked by the engine, mileage, operational conditions of the car and its technical state. The additional factors that affect the regularity of oil change are engine parameters, the date of the last change.
The oil consists of a base and the required quantity of additives that protect the surfaces of engine elements. During car operation, the decomposition of additives takes place slowly. As a result, there are deposits that settle on the surface of the crankcase. Also, some components of the oil oxidize, its viscosity and acidity change.
Nowadays, machines are equipped with control units, which already have a command that controls the frequency of changing the lubricant in the engine. The basis for this – the actual values: speed when moving, engine speed, engine starts in winter, and temperature conditions.
All vehicle manufacturers specify in details in the instruction how often the engine oil should be changed. However, these data are often not consistent with reality.
A large number of different factors affect change rates:
- Fuel type and its quality (petrol, gas, diesel).
- Working volume of power unit.
- Type of lubricant used.
- Brand of oil used (semi-synthetic, synthetic, mineral).
- Structure of lubricant in the engine.
- Total mileage.
- Change method.
- Quality of oil used.
- Car operating conditions.
- Absence of malfunctions in the car.
There are no manufacturer's recommendations in this list, because the oil change after certain periods is just an advertising trick for it. Please note! The car ride with a viscous and dirty lubricant will lead to rapid wear of the power unit.
The frequency with which the lubricant should be changed depends on how the car is being used. Without going into the intricacies of the process, let’s single out two modes: in the city and outside the city. The fact is that when the car is going in a metropolis, the load on the engine increases, although the mileage is insignificant. This situation occurs due to standing at traffic lights and in traffic jams with the power unit turned on, which does not have time to cool down enough. When operating a car outside the city, everything looks different. The mileage increases, but the motor cooling is much more effective. As a result, the load on the engine and oil is lower.
It is much more convenient to determine how often the motor oil should be changed based on the operating hours. This method is applied for transport used in agriculture, as well as for trucks. For example, in a city in 400 operating hours you can cover 10 thous. km, and outside the city this distance can be easily covered in just a hundred. Herewith, it should be remembered about the different operating modes.
Please note! The most appropriate time for oil change is between 200 and 400 operating hours, excluding the maximum load.